Precious metals prices have surged faster than expected this year and are showing no signs of slowing in 2006, mining executives say. Consequently, some Inland Northwest mining companies are looking to ramp up exploration efforts or production or a

The construction industry has plenty of concerns going into 2006, but still is anticipating a healthy level of activity next year. Commercial and public-works activity is expected to surpass that of 2005, with more road construction getting be

Commercial and residential real estate markets here are expected to remain strong in 2006, with activity levels at least equal to this years brisk clip.In the office market, tenants are expected to gobble up some of the glut of available The

Rosauers Supermarkets Inc., the Spokane-based 21-store regional grocery chain, is planning a $3 million expansion and remodel at its store in the Lincoln Heights shopping district, on Spokanes South Hill. As part of the project, says Rosauers

Veteran Spokane contractor James Elmer plans to develop an eight-unit, $3 million condominium building in Brownes Addition, overlooking the Spokane River and Peaceful Valley. Elmer says he likely will start work early next month on the which

On track to more than double its revenues this year, Purcell Systems Inc. is leasing additional space in the Spokane Business & Industrial Park, just seven months after moving to new, larger quarters there, says company President and CEO Pete maker

Developer Marshall Chesrown says that if he had 200 completed living units today at Kendall Yards, the envisioned urban village near downtown Spokane that will overlook the Spokane River, he could sell them all in a weekend. His confidence a is

The big question going into the upcoming session of the Washington state Legislature is what will lawmakers do with about $1.4 billion in revenue they didnt know theyd have? Don Brunell, president of the Olympia-based Association of says a

Mountain West Bank went into business 12 years ago in a trailer at the corner of Ironwood Drive and Government Way in Coeur dAlene. Now, Mountain West has a branch on that site, and its headquarters take up much of the 29,000-square-foot next

Itron Inc., of Spokane Valley, has landed two new contractsone that involves providing a Kingston, Ontario, municipal utility with automatic meter-reading equipment and one through which it will deploy energy-management software to a energy to of